Washing-machine.



No. 770,295. 1?ATBNTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

T. M. KIRKWOOD.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1903. RENEWED MAR. 17, 1904. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M WWII 7 No. 770,295. PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

T. M. KIRKWOOD.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1903. RENEWED MAR. 17, 1904.

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N0 MODEL.

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WITNESSES: f/VVENTOR.

Patented September 20, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. KIRKWOOD, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,295, dated September 20, 1904.

Application filed April 27, 1903. Renewed March 17, 1904. Serial No. 198,659. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it Wary concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. KIRKwooD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented new and useful Improvements in t ashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates especially to washingmachines in which the tub or suds-box is given a rocking motion, whereby a movement is imparted to the fabric which is being cleansed that follows the curves of a double loop like the figure 8. In addition to this motion, however, owing to the interior construction of this device, the fabric is continuously turned in a horizontal direction, which brings all parts of it into frequent contact with the cleansing mechanism.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, to which reference is made by letters, similar letters denoting corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a general view of the machine, partly broken away to show the interior construction. Fig. 2 is a plan of part of the device with the top removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the block with the concave edge, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of part of the supporting mechanism.

The letter A indicates the tub or box of my washing-machine. I prefer to make this body of wood, but any suitable material may be used. I provide transverse screw-rods b b to draw the sides tightly against the ends, top, and bottom of the box, the sides of the box projecting sufiiciently to allow this to be done on the outside of the box. These rods are inserted at proper intervals, usually two at each-end and two or three at the bottom of the box.

C is a door to cover the opening 0, through which the clothes, water, and detergent are put into the box.

The box A is mounted on rockers d. These rockers stand upon the end bars a of a baseframe E and are held in place on the frame by coil-springs f, whose upper ends are secured to a side of the rocker and whose lower ends are secured to a side of the end piece of the base-frame. The springs f permit of a rocking motion of the box upon the frame and normally hold it in an upright position.

Any preferred device, as an arm A, is attached to the box, by which it may be rocked, or this may be done by mechanical power.

The interior of the box is provided with blocks' it, having concave edges it turned toward the middle of the box and occupying the four corners thereof. Upon the curved edges of these blocks are fastened the ends of transverse spaced slats Vertical strips j j are attached to the sides of the box between the end slats M and more widely spaced than said slats. The sides of these strips at any one side of the box are smooth on the sides turned in one direction and are provided with pegs or otherwise roughened on their sides turned in the opposite direction. The pegs catch and momentarily hold the clothes as they strike and pass the strips on one side of the tub, and on the return movement the clothes are caught by the pegs on the strips at the opposite side of the tub, with the effect that the clothes are gradually turned around again and again, and different parts of the clothes are continuously subjected to the pressure and friction against both the slats and the strips during the operation of washing. When the clothes and soapy water fall against the slats 1; 71 at an end of the box, the water is forced through the clothes and between the slats into the space 71:, greatly accelerating the cleansing of the clothes. A spout L at the lower part of the box, having a suitable stopper, is provided for drawing off the water.

Having described my invention, what I claim is A washing-machine having a rocking sudsbox, vertical, triangular strips having one side roughened on the inner sides of said box, the roughened sides of said strips on the two sides of said box facing in opposite directions for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS M. KIRKWOOD.

Witnesses WILLIAM KIRKwooD, ALFRED MASTERMAN. 

